A 25-FOOT sign promoting regeneration work in Darwen is being removed after a five-year battle by residents who said it was an eyesore.

The sign, promoting the regeneration of Hindle Street and Queen Street, was erected by Blackburn with Darwen Council on grassy land opposite Barleybank Street.

Residents said the sign – 300 metres from the regeneration area – was regularly vandalised by youths and spoilt an otherwise pleasant grassy area used by the community.

Tony Garsden, of Barleybank Street, said: “I’ve had the ‘privilege’ of looking at this sign for the past five years from my living room window and now it’s getting to be a bit of an eyesore.

“I complained to the regeneration department of the council and I was told that when the demolition started on Hindle Street, the monstrosity of a sign would be removed and placed over to that area.

“But those houses were knocked down 18 months ago and the sign hasn’t moved.

“Barleybank Street is not in the regeneration area, yet we have to look at a sign for it for all this time.

"Kids constantly climb on it and throw stones at it, and it’s not fair. Enough is enough.”

Sunnyhurst councillor Tony Melia said: “It’s an enormous sign that’s been added to at the top and bottom since it was first put up.

"I fully support the residents. It’s not a nice thing to have to look at for such a long period of time, especially when this street is quite a long way away from the regeneration zone.”

Coun Salim Lorgat, executive member for housing, said they had listened to concerns of residents.

He said: “We are putting plans in place to remove the sign."

Coun Lorgat also said that a new sign would be put up in the Woodvale and Queen Street area promoting the regeneration efforts.